Son of Shadow by John Lenahan #BlogTour #BookReview #Fantasy

Book Details

• 310 Pages
• Expected Publication Date: June 25, 2020
• Genre: Fantasy

What’s it about (in a nutshell):

Son of Shadow by John Lenahan is a fantasy tale about Fergal the Second’s (Doe) trip to the human world, specifically the US. He doesn’t remember who he is, where he came from, or why he is in Scranton, PA. First, he must remember, and then he must complete the task he set out to achieve.

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):

The cover is pretty simple, but it has a Celtic knot, giving me Irish vibes. The description tells me that the story’s world is one of fairies, leprechauns, and dragons, so it is definitely Irish. My initial expectations are of a world strongly influenced by Celtic mythology and folklore. Something about the blurb reminds me of Artemis Fowl.

Actual Reading Experience:

I said that the description reminded me of Artemis Fowl in my expectations. The whole reading experience actually reminded me of that series. The quirky characters and writing style were similar to the Artemis Fowl series. Still, the age of the characters is adult, whereas Artemis Fowl is a middle-grades-aged story.

I enjoyed all of the Celtic mythology and folklore creatures – fairies, leprechauns, brownies, dragons, and more – though I would have loved spending more time with each creature and learning more about their specifics. The world is fascinating, but it could have been developed more to be more immersive. I felt like I skimmed the surface rather than took a deep dive

Sons of Shadow is told in first-person narration by Doe. I enjoyed reading the story through his eyes as he is a keen observer of what is going on around him. The pace remains pretty quick from start to finish, especially once Doe remembers why he’s in America, and lots of thrills and action ensue. The dialogue is a bit awkward in places, but I loved how it flowed and how it helped the pace remain quick.

Characters:

I found all of the characters to be quirky and fun, and I enjoyed how strong all the women are, finding something to like in each of them. I don’t know that any of the characters had much depth, though, but that was partly due to Doe’s amnesia for the first third of the story.

To Read or Not to Read:

If you are looking for a fun and fast-paced fantasy story with quirky characters, Son of Shadow is just the book you are looking for.